The RM of St. Clements has an Animal Control By-Law 6-2020 that regulates items in detail such as:
- Responsibility of owners
- Animals running at large
- Restricted animals
- Impoundment of animals
- Violations
If you witness a violation of the By-Law, please call 204-809-3231 to contact our Animal Control. We use a paging service, so please leave all important details and contact information, as it will then get sent to our Animal Control Officer.
Lost Pets
To those with pets, we all know that they are a member of our family, there is no doubt about it. Sometimes our furry friends can go missing which can cause us owners extreme panic and stress as we do everything we can to find them. We want to do everything that we can to help reunite them with their owners.
What to do immediately after you’ve lost your pet:
- Try reaching out to these contacts first
- RM of St. Clements Animal Control at 204-809-3231 to see if they happened to pick up the animal
- Local veterinarian clinics – there is a chance that someone may have picked up your lost pet in hopes of helping reunite them with their owners. People may take cats or dogs to vet clinics if they have found them injured or hoping that they have a chip or tattoo which can lead to the owners contact information. Some local vets are listed below:
- Selkirk Animal Hospital – 204-482-4401
- Selkirk Veterinary Services – 204-482-5720
- Oakbank Animal Hospital – 204-444-3615
- East St. Paul Animal Hospital – 204-661-2183
- Beausejour Animal Hospital – 204-268-2177
- Winnipeg Humane Society –is the most known shelter in Manitoba, they see hundreds of lost animals come through their doors. Through their website you can:
- Submit a lost animal report on their website
- Check their Lost and Found page daily on their website
Since new animals are brought to the shelter daily, the WHS updates their lost and found information and photos multiple times throughout the day. Please contact the WHS to close the lost report once you’ve found your pet by emailing reception@winnipeghumanesociety.ca. At the time of claiming your pet, photo ID is required & proof of ownership to confirm the pet is going home with the owner. You must bring proper equipment to transport your pet from the shelter. A leash or crate/carrier for dogs and a crate/carrier/box with air holes for cats and critters
- Contact other animal groups – There are over 48,000 people following the Winnipeg Lost Dog Alert Inc. page and over 18,000 following the Winnipeg Lost Cat Alert page. You can use their large following to your advantage by posting details of your lost pet and photos. People can then report sightings or if the pet has been found and reunited with its family
- Use Social Media to your advantage – social media is evolving and the ability to quickly post your lost animal with a picture and have it shared with hundreds of people that love animals just as much as you is extremely helpful! These strangers are rooting for you to find your lost pet so it is important to make surrounding communities aware so they can help keep an eye out. Post any important details with up to date photos of your pet.
- Spread the word – put up flyers in your area with recent photos of your pet, important details and contact information, advertise in your local newspaper, walk surrounding neighbourhoods. Getting the word out is important!
Help Protect your Pets
- Identify your pets –probably the most important thing you can do to prevent your pet from being lost is obtaining proper identification for them. Your pet should be microchipped, tattooed and be wearing a collar with any important information. Using multiple forms of identification increases the chances in getting your pet back home, however these identification methods can have drawbacks. Tags can be lost or damaged. Tattoos can fade over time and be difficult to read. Microchips are not always considered by people so the pet may not be promptly brought somewhere to be scanned. If you move or change phone numbers it is very important to remember to update the info on your tags and especially at your veterinarian’s office, microchip provider and online rabies tag registry.
- Collar and license/I.D tag – someone that picks up your pet on the street can bring it right back to your home
- Tattoo – a small vet clinic without microchip readers can check the registry based on the tattoo. The code indicates the veterinary clinic which performed the tattoo, the year it was done and is linked to your contact info at the vet office
- Microchip – places like The Winnipeg Humane Society can immediately identify your pet with a microchip, even if the collar has been lost and the tattoo is illegible. This code then traces back to you and your contact information through the microchip company and often the vet clinic that did the microchipping as well
- Rabies Tag – when a pet is vaccinated for rabies you will receive a tag which also has a number on it that should be linked to your contact info at the vet clinic. The new rabies tags have the option for you to register them online. You enter the code at the bottom of the tag plus your pet’s info and your contact info. Then if someone finds them they can go on the same site and enter the tag number to receive your info. As an alternative there is also a QR code on the tags that can be scanned with a smart phone to do the same thing. The tag still needs to be registered by you first online for this to work and the person who finds the pet needs to download the get me home app for this scanning function
- Have recent pictures – sometimes we forget to take pictures after your puppy or kitten has grown up. If lost, a recent photo can make all the difference
- Be aware – to help prevent a horrible situation, watch the front door if you are expecting someone and kennel your animal if they are likely to bolt, if you are letting them out to use the bathroom have the proper measures in place to prevent them from leaving your yard (ex. fenced yard), always ensure that you have full care and control of your animal when you are out and about to ensure the animal does not run at large
- Don’t let your cat wander – If you let your cats outside, chances are they will get lost. Even if they have been coming and going for ten years, it doesn’t mean that they will always find their way home, or that someone might assume they are lost and pick them up. Do not let cats outside the house unless you have an enclosed back yard, or you are walking them on a leash
Finding a lost or deceased pet
This is an extremely difficult situation for anyone to encounter but we ask that if this happens, try to put yourself in the situation of the pet owner. A pet owner needs closure regardless of if their pet is lost and has a chance of coming home or if it is deceased. If you are going to pick up a pet that is lost or deceased, please handle with care and take the steps necessary to help notify the owner:
- Check for a collar/ID tag and contact the owner
- Take it to a local vet clinic/hospital so they can check if the pet has a microchip or tattoo so that they can notify the owner. Please make sure to give the vet as much information as possible to better the chances of finding the owner. Let the vet know where you picked up the animal and which RM you are in.
*Important Note: We cannot accept any animals at our Municipal offices. We do not have capabilities to house animals, although it is our main goal to reunite your pets with you.
For any additional questions, please contact our office at 204-482-3300 or our Protective Services Officer by email at tyler@rmofstclements.com.